Finally, I had a Dreami Moment where I just had to drop everything and make it. I'll be linking to Sandra's linky party , the inventor of this new quilting term.
I still have no quilts of my own and the few mini quilts that I have made are decorating my office walls at work. I had to brighten that place up! My plan is to collect one or more mini quilts for each season so my first one will be one made from a free mini pattern designed by Alison at Cluck Cluck Sew called I Heart You. Thank you, Alison!
Here is my fabric pull and some of the pieces cut out . . .
If you have ever wondered why patterns sometimes say read the pattern through before you start sewing, this one would be a perfect example. The largest heart in this mini calls for a 12 x 12 piece of fabric. I didn't have that size of piece in the fabric I wanted to use so I wasted sewing time piecing together a 12 x 12 piece. Silly me! What I didn't realize, is that was only the starting point. The pieces for the heart were to be cut from that and the scrap that I had would have been just fine for the smaller pieces needed So learn from me! I'm sure some of you more experienced seamstresses probably wouldn't have made that mistake.
Here is my progress so far and I hope to have this finished later today!
In unpacking some more boxes from our move (yes I am slooooooow at this) I came across the very first thing I ever made on a sewing machine. Even back then I had the quilt piecing DNA in me and just didn't know it!
My mother wasn't a quilt maker but she made a lot of our clothes and doll clothes growing up and she let me play around with the scraps. She showed me how to sew a straight seam and the rest is history. I took a piece of fabric and just started adding scraps to the sides of it until I had a piece big enough to make a pillow. I don't remember my age when I made this but I think it was around 8 or 9. Notice that the bright neon pink fabric is the biggest piece. Even as a child I loved bright loud colors! Can you guess about what year this was? Don't worry, I am not sensitive about my age so I won't be insulted if you guess way wrong. Hee! Hee!
Poor thing could use a good wash!
Along the lines of nostalgia, when my sister visited me a few weeks ago she handed me this mysterious box!
You can already tell by looking at it that is is pretty old. I am guessing from the 70's. Inside was a project I had started years ago and got bored with and never finished so gave them to my sis. My sis doesn't throw anything away. She saved this all these years and gave them back to me. Crocheted granny squares!
I'd love to hear about the very first thing you ever made! Please share in my comments!
Crazy Mom Quilts
Busy Hands Quilts
Confessions of a Fabric Addict
Throw Back Thursday
that was a long time ago - I think the first thing I made was a dress in Home Ec class - I made my first quilt in 1975 and have been making them ever since
ReplyDeleteFirst, yay for a DREAMi! and thank you for linking up - like I said on Instagram I have LONG wanted to make that pattern, but must resist for this week anyhow. I hear you on the March project... and the pillow! You have a Throwback Thursday (linky is probably this Friday since I post for the grand opening of the NQBH on Thursday) so feel free to link this post to that when it goes live. I made a Barbie quilt as a very early sewing project, knitted clothes for them and for my dolls too at a young age, and a doll blanket which I think I still have at 6 years old...From your fabrics, which I recognize, ha, being born in 1960 egad, I'd say early 70s or very late 60s, like 69?
ReplyDeleteThat's great that you still have the first thing that you ever made. The crocheted squares will be a fun pick up project too - thanks to your sister who sounds way too much like me. lol
ReplyDeleteThe first thing I ever made by myself was a skirt with fabric that my grandmother gave me. I was 5 at the time, but still remember how happy I was to have done it all by myself.
I love your fabric choices for your heart project.
I remember in the 8th or 9th grade I made a circle skirt, in the style of poodle skirts, if anyone remembers them. It was a totally circular one in emerald green with loops of gold round the hem. I wore it with bobby socks and saddle shoes, even a dog collar ankle bracelet. That really dates me!
ReplyDeleteYour heart mini will be so darling! Love the bandana fabric in the littlest heart. Just in time for Valentine's Day, too! :)
ReplyDeleteThe very first thing I made with fabric was a tiny poncho cut out of a diamond of fabric. It clothed a small, plastic alligator that came free with a full tank of gas at some local gas station. I think the animals were for a Noah's Ark set? I collected all the animals, but only the alligators got handmade ponchos! Don't ask me why, I was only 8 years old :)
I love your heart mini, and as soon as I saw it, I thought, "I want to make one of those!" So thanks for the link to the pattern! Your pillow is wonderful - what a keepsake! I really can't remember what would have been the first thing I ever sewed. My mom also taught me to sew and we made a lot of clothes way back then. When my boys were growing up I sewed a lot of Halloween costumes!
ReplyDeleteThose Granny squares are a great find. Do sew them up into a blanket, the colours are great. I came to sewing late, didn't really do much as a child, only a bit at school which I hated! That put me off sewing for 40 years. Both sisters could sew, particularly my elder sister and my Nana was a tailoress but the bug missed me until I discovered quilting. My first quilt was a little appliqué heart one which I gave to my MIL and when she died it came back to me.
ReplyDeleteHow fun for your sis to bring back your granny squares! And your heart mini will be perfect for February! Don't forget our scrappy commitment for March...
ReplyDeleteThe first sewing I ever did was probably in grade school sometime when I made a knitting needle case. It was like a small pillow case with straight lines stitched up so you could slide your knitting needles right in there. It's still out in storage in the garage somewhere. Hard to throw stuff like that away....
You've gotten a great start on your mini. Thank you for the link to the pattern. My grandmother and mother both knew their way around a sewing machine. Mom found us an old treadle type sewing machine and that's what I learned to sew doll clothes on. My first finished project was a quilt that used squares that I embroidered. My grandmother set them together for me and quilted it. The quilt is carefully stored up in the closet. It's worn out and needs to have the binding replaced, but I still love it.
ReplyDeleteAh, yes, it’s hard to stay focused on those long term secret sewing projects! You have to have a squirrelly moment now and then! Love your wallhanging! It will brighten your office wall, for sure! I’m a jump right in kind of sewist, too, and have made that very same mistake in the past. Because I’m that way, I don’t make a very good pattern tester for others! I usually just look at the picture, check the cutting requirements, and plunge in with both feet, never giving the directions a second thought!
ReplyDeleteI have seen that heart quilt on Pinterest many times, it's adorable, good for you getting it ready in time for Valentines! I don't know what my first project was, but I do remember it was a very long time ago! I remember hand knitting a pillow-it was all wedges. I also remember making tons of those granny squares for an afghan when I was little.
ReplyDeleteThe first thing that I made that involved sewing was in Home Ec in 7th and 8th grade. 7th grade was a pillow, I believe mine was in the shape of a telephone. 8th grade was a jacket. I used really bright classic 80s colors like bright pink and teal, though it was the early 90s at that point. I do not have either of them. My first quilt, though, is still in my house.
ReplyDeleteLove your pillow!
What a sweet mini to add to the seasons. The pillow fabrics look like some of my daughter's clothes and the afghan squares always bring thought so my Polish grandma who made one for us.
ReplyDeleteYour hearts look great so far. This reminds me that I made this exact pattern...but didn't quilt it. LOL Yes, wash that pillow and start using it. Can't wait to see what you do with your crocheted granny squares.
ReplyDeleteOh what memories! Good for your sister not throwing away your granny squares. Now, what will you do with them this time? And your pillow is awesome. So cool that you still have it. The first thing I ever sewed would have to be from 8th grade home ec. An A-line skirt with a waistband and tab for a buttonhole, and zipper. Covered all the sewing bases! I made it in brown, of all colors, and I wore it too! And I still like brown. In fact it was the chosen background for the first quilt I made in 2012.
ReplyDeletehome ec in 8th grade had us making a gymbag with a drawstring for our first project. it was to carry our gymsuit to class. back then we had to wear a specific suit for gym. from then on it was pillows and cothing and I ended up making my first quilt by sewing during studyhall. I got a pass to go to home ec and sew and they used my first quilt as a backdrop for our fashion show. my those bright 70's polyester fabrics! lol
ReplyDeleteBeautiful hearts. Definitely worth a Dreami. I love the quilting - so neatly done!!!
ReplyDeleteOh, what a sweet surprise to see those awesome granny squares! They truly need to be made into an afghan now. I've even seen sweaters and vests made from granny squares! Your heart mini is one I really want to make...love those overlapping hearts!
ReplyDeleteYour Dreami project is so very cute! Yes, I, too have failed to read the instructions first - and learned it's best to do so as well! Wow, what a trip down Memory Lane - and a treasure trove of granny squares!
ReplyDeleteLove that pop of green in the hearts - super cute mini quilt. What a fun find with the old Granny squares! Are you going to do something with them? I think the very first thing I ever made, actually, was a granny square doll's afghan when I was something like 8 years old. We lived overseas at the time, and my mother probably taught me how to crochet just to get me to be still sometimes. :D
ReplyDeleteYour Valentine's mini is super! Hmm, the first thing I ever made? Probably a granny square for an afghan my mom was working on!
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